Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, such as a multifunction peripheral, a control method therefor, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the method.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, among image processing apparatuses including a multifunction peripheral, there exist a lot of apparatuses configured to be able to restrict access to jobs and resources depending on a user who has logged in by a user authentication. In such image processing apparatuses, when a user tries to perform an operation while he has logged in, and the user does not have the authority to execute the operation, it is common that an authentication screen is displayed to prompt the user to log in as a different user having the authority.
There exists a configuration for the user session management, such that when the user logs in as a different user, all the information related to the user (for example, a user profile including a user name, a user's mail address and the like, and user authority) is completely switched (hereinafter this configuration will be referred to as Prior Art 1). In this case, immediately before the user logs in as the different user, the user who has logged in is automatically caused to log out (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-25040).
There exists another configuration for the user session management only re-evaluating the user authority of the user information about the user who has already logged in while maintaining the user profile of the user information such as the user name, the user's mail address (hereinafter this configuration will be referred to as Prior Art 2). As a re-evaluation method in this case, it is common that the user authority held by the user who has logged in later is added to the user authority held by the user who has logged in earlier.
FIG. 16 is a timing chart showing the user session management of Prior Art 1.
Reference numeral 4001 in FIG. 16 indicates a user profile including a user name, a user's mail address and the like to be actually applied in a user session. Reference numeral 4002 indicates the user authority of a user who has currently logged in. Reference numeral 4003 indicates login user information which an image forming apparatus stores in association with a user session to determine the contents of the user profile 4001 and the user authority 4002. FIG. 17 is a tabular form diagram showing settings for the user profiles and user authorities of users A and B to be used in FIG. 16.
According to Prior Art 1, when a user inputs user information on a login screen at time t401, a process of logging in as the user A is executed. Since the user A is permitted to execute color copying in the setting information in FIG. 17, he can execute color copying.
Next, when the user attempts to execute a network management function at time t402, authentication as a user who is permitted to execute the network management function is requested because the user A is prohibited to execute the network management function. Here, when the user inputs the authentication information about the user B who is an administrator and is permitted to execute the network management function, and a process of logging in as the user B is performed, the user profile 4001 is changed to that of the user B as indicated by reference numeral 4021 in FIG. 16, and the user authority 4002 is change to that of the user B as indicated by reference numeral 4022 in FIG. 16. Then, it becomes possible for the user to execute the network management function.
Next, when the user attempts to execute color copying again at time t403, authentication as a user who is permitted to execute the function is requested because the user B is prohibited to execute color copying. In this case, if the user inputs again the authentication information about the user A who is permitted to execute color copying, he can execute color copying.
Thus, Prior Art 1 adopts the configuration in which, when a new user logs in, a user who has already logged in is caused to log out. In this configuration, since all the information related to the user is switched, there may be a case where a function which can be used as a certain user cannot be used after a process of logging in as a different user is performed. In order to enable the disabled function again, the user has to log in again. As a result, there is a problem that the user is requested to log in again and again, thereby degrading the usability.
FIG. 18 is a timing chart showing the user session management of Prior Art 2.
Reference numerals 6001 to 6003 in FIG. 18 indicate the same as indicated by reference numerals 4001 to 4003 in FIG. 16. It is assumed that the settings for the user profiles and user authorities of users A and B in the example of FIG. 18 are similar to those in the example of FIG. 17.
When a user inputs user information on a login screen at time t601, a process of logging in as the user A is performed. Since the user A is permitted to execute color copying in the setting information of FIG. 17, he can execute color copying.
When the user attempts to execute a network management function at the next time t602, authentication as a user who is permitted to execute the network management function is requested because the user A is prohibited to execute the network management function. Here, when the user inputs the authentication information about the user B who is an administrator and is permitted to execute the network management function, and a process of logging in as the user B is performed, the user profile 6001 continues to be that of the user A as indicated by reference numeral 6021 in FIG. 18. However, as for the user authority 6002, all of the items, each of which has been permitted to any of the users A and B, are changed to be “permitted” as indicated by reference numeral 6022 in FIG. 8.
When the user attempts to execute color copying again at the next time t603, he can execute color copying without the need for displaying the authentication screen again because the user A is permitted to execute color copying even after the user authority is changed.
Thus, in Prior Art 2, the user authority is re-evaluated so that, if an item is permitted to any of a user who has logged in earlier or a user who logs in later, the item is permitted. Therefore, it does not happen that a function which can be used as a certain user cannot be used after a process of logging in as a different user is performed, thereby improving the usability in comparison with Prior Art 1.
However, it is difficult for a user to intuitively determine whether or not the user profile including a user name, a user's mail address and the like is still the user profile of a user who has logged in earlier or is switched to the user profile of a user who has logged in later.
For example, it is assumed that there exists an image processing apparatus which is provided with an e-mail transmission function and which automatically sets a login user's mail address as the sender address of an outgoing mail. Suppose that, while a user has logged in this image processing apparatus as a user A, it becomes necessary to change a certain management setting item, and the user logs in again as a user B, who is an administrator, changes the management setting item, and thereafter transmits an e-mail. In this case, it is difficult to determine which of the users A and B is automatically set as the sender address. Furthermore, as a result of logging in again to change settings, there may be caused problems, such as being charged as an unintended user's print job, being set an unintended name as a fax sender name, and being referred unintended user data as a user's fixed work and personal data such as an address book.